Finding Home
by Laiika
Summary: A home is a place of residence or refuge, a place where safety, happiness and hope reside. It is a challenge to find and keep. Leaving is the first step to finding home. A story that begins with being lost and in searching.


**To find Home is to find a safe place to grow; it is a feeling one will never forget.**

**I do not own Harry Potter or anything else, obviousy. This is a 'fanfiction' site, why must we use disclaimers?**

**:HOME:**

The young boy, hardly five feet tall, was staring at the train station in shock, utterly struck his mouth was hanging slightly, green eyes wider than normal behind the thick, taped up horn-rimmed glasses he wore. He was currently standing about twelve feet behind a large brick wall with a thin sign denoting the Platforms nearest. Pulling his trunk, a rather large nondescript brown (that had _his_ name on it!) with him. Within the case he had packed nearly all his clothes, minus the too holey ones but including his new uniforms, along with the books he had picked up exactly one month previous. He had everything he needed in the bag, he even had his wand, (a real, magical wand!), in the confines so as not to lose or break it; well, really it was so his cousin couldn't find it and destroy the precious 'stick' before they had left earlier, Harry lived with his cousin, his aunt and his uncle, he lived in their house (as they made sure he knew well) ever since his parents had been killed (as he had found out one month previous) not by his drunk father in a car accident, but by a megalomaniac bent on the domination of their world. His home had been destroyed in the aftermath and he lived, killing the evil murderer and losing everything but his life. Harry looked up staring at the bricks and traffic of the people again, the platform slowly filling.

A soft hoot brought his attention to the only other being with him, a large snowy owl named Hedwig. She had been the first gift he ever received, and it had come from a stranger! His first friend, a giant of a man named Hagrid. The owl was encased in a bright metal cage, big enough for her to move around and stretch in. He looked around, she kept hooting softly from his hiding spot, drawing attention to his little hideaway. Blinking and losing the shell-shocked features he had adorned since his arrival, a lost arrival seeing as how he couldn't find the station! Platform 9 ¾, he had double, triple checked, yet there wasn't one single station with a fractioned number; Harry, the boy-who-was-lost, reddened as some of the people began to look at him, thinking it odd, no doubt, to see such a small boy alone with such luggage. Putting his head down he pulled away from his spot, the wall was getting too many looks and he had to find out how to get to his school.

The mystical school of Hogwarts, just a bit from the Hogsmead station that he would find himself at, if he could only get onto the Platform! Sighing he 'hid' in plain sight, slinking away from prying eyes and leaning against the very wall he had been staring at. He'd been dropped off at the Train station just before ten in the morning, his train departing at eleven, sharp. As it was approaching the half-past period on the clock across the station the alone little boy was lost, desolate, as he wracked his brain, trying to think of how he would get onto the platform, or, more importantly, where the platform was!

They, Harry and Hedwig, were on a typical train station, the tracks of silver beneath the stone and glass of the platforms, the walls were a bright redish brick colour that stood out, calling 'pay attention' to the masses. There were only a handfull of people around him, and perhaps two dozen waiting for their trains to arrive altogether. He had seen a steady increase of people arrive since he himself had, although unfortuantely for him, none had even looked like the wizards he had seen in the Alley of Magic.

Looking around Harry noticed that he was no longer being stared at, momentarily forgotten as another train began it's climb away from the railway caused more excitement. Getting slightly frustrated that he hadn't thought to ask about the Platform the day he had been to the Magical alley of Diagon was his own fault, he had realised the odd numbered platform but had missed his chance to ask his Giant as said Giant left.

Tossing the back of his head against the bricks behind his dark head Harry gave a start when the hard stone, which was only expected to cause minimal hurt to the back of his head, was replaced by the same tingle he had felt entering the Alley and every time he held his wand, accompanied by the sudden realisation that the wall wasn't there, caused him to pitch forth into his Trunk and Hedwig's cage, eliciting a protesting hoot from her, a loud shriek that left a slight ringing in his ear (which was much too close as the volume of the sound showed) as well as a sharp yelp from his own being.

Looking around Harry was thankful the ensuing chaos of people disembarking from the other trains, mixed with the morning cacophony of people clamouring onto theirs, allowed his cry of surprise, and that of Hedwig, to go unnoticed. He looked at the wall, really looked at it, and seeing nothing out of the ordinary Harry was reminded of the briliant entrance into Diagon Alley in which the typical stone wall had to be tapped with a magical wand (or, in Hagrid's case, umbrella) before entrance would be granted and, closing his eyes, pulling his belongings closer; hoping that he was right but feeling that he was, he took a breath and set a brisk pace in those few steps before the wall, still only mostly confidant that he would not smash his face when he hit the wall; as he entered the magical stoop of the bricks.

The sudden disappearance of noise surprised him and he hesitated before he kept walking, eyes shut, and with another step the noise was back, louder than before and interspersed with other owl cries, sobbing parents and cheering children; a deep contrast to the other side where there had been no children, let alone a rowdy bunch like what this lot sounded like. Opening his bright green eyes Harry was treated to his first sight of the Platform 9 ¾, as a helpful sign denoted above; complete with children running about, parents happily brandishing wands and using magic (dressed just as the other magical folk had been in the Ally), one mother, waving a bright red wand shot a shower of ribbon-like colours that reached out and away from her to pull her young child back to her, causing a series of giggles to spew from the child. Harry smiled sadly, missing, not for the first time, his own parents, though, as always, the ache was leaving quickly; it was hard, after all to miss constantly what you never had. Head down Harry marched toward the opening of the train, excitement burning through him. He was almost there!

Getting onto the train wasn't much of a problem, he had lifted his trunk, the only heavy items within were his books, and he had carried more on one platter of food for his family. The other people had stayed back, many of them had already 'lost' there trunks aboard the train Harry guessed seeing as how almost no one had one, and were milling around talking. After pushing the trunk in a little bit so he would have room to join it, he hauled both Hedwig and himself onto the train, pushing both items in front of him on the shining rug Harry trekked down the aisle. Looking into the little compartments for an empty one for himself and his Owl.

The fifth one on his left was free, the first that he passed that was free of either people, personal articals or a closed door, the window looking away from the Platform, Harry missed the arrival of most of the Wizarding families. His compartment comprised of two benches, one per side, and room under the seats for the Trunk, Hedwig was set on the floor between his feet, toes hanging more than an inch above the floor boards. He was on his way (or would be in less than twenty minutes!) to Hogsmead, and then it was on to the Great School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Hogwarts!

A loud bell rang through the Train and Platform, signalling the departure that was about to commence. Harry had left his door open, though the sight of a tiny young boy, messy hair, broken glasses and old, used clothing made most students walk right on past with nary a glance back. Not that Harry had expected anything different. He had been a kind of Pariah at his Elementary school, unless he was being chased by his Cousin, Dudley, or been 'talked' to by one of his teachers. Harry was used to being the odd-one-out, no longer bothered by the fact-of-life he had been grown with.

A sudden commotion had Harry tightening his hold on the birds cage as a gaggle of red-heads stormed past, loudly speaking. He heard a snippet of the conversation:

"We made it!"

"Barely, Brother!"

"Yes, Ickle-little-"

"Ronnikins wouldn't want-"

"to be late for his first Train-ride!"

"You two better find cut the Pranks this year…"

"Can it, Perce!"

Harry chuckled as the banter passed over him, the family was happy and obviously comfortable with one another, Harry had no illusions that he could dare talk to his cousin like that, he'd be back in his cupboard and probably nursing a new bruise or two at the least. He briefly wondered just how they would all fit in a compartment, he hadn't caught the best glimpse as they passed, but he was sure he had seen at least three though it sounded like more, the compartment could fit that many, probably tightly, once you included the trunks but-

There was another shrill whistle as the train suddenly began to move, Harry smiled, finally on his way.

Looking out the window at the passing scenery he tried to remember just what he had been thinking about before he had been interrupted by the whistle. Declaring it, in his head, as unimportant, Harry closed his eyes, tired after the stressful morning of his first train-ride, to quote the red-headed troupe, which reminding him of the cheery bunch.

"Hullo?" Two rapid knocks, jarring Harry from his little daydream, he looked at the door, surprised to see a boy who looked a bit like Dudley, only with darker hair and much less blubber, looking around worriedly.

"Hi," Harry smiled at the boy, who returned it with a tiny, half-smile, nervously looking around.

"Can I…. I mean, Do you…?" the Dudley-like-but-not-quite boy stuttered out a string of half words.

"Pa-pardon?" Harry tilted his head, smile still open and friendly (it was only polite to be poilte, after all, he had learned that from his old teacher) as he eyed the boy with a kind of wary trepidation, though the demeanour of the boy was rather reassuring as he seemed more fretfull than Harry could ever be.

"Is there room…uh, here?" He asked, smiling back almost more fully.

"You want to sit…" Harry's smile fell, shock clouding his slightly pointed features, clearing his throat, nodding in the affirmative even as he finished his question, "with me?"

"I can?" Came the equally surprised sounding reply. "Thanks... I'm Neville," he smiled, much less unsurely than the other attempts, "The boys in my compartment were…" he trailed off, holding a small cage close to his body. The clear plastic-looking cage showed a small toad, greyish green with wide-set eyes gazing out at the world. Harry let the subject drop, too thrilled at having a companion, one who seemed just like him! Besde the boy didn't seem to know why he was trying to explain his sudden appearance in the compartment anyway.

"I'm Harry. Are you a First year, too?" his excited words had a good effect on the other boy, Neville, who had a slightly surprised look, almost startled, before he glanced up (though quickly looking back at Harry's eyes) and nodding. "Really?" Harry hadn't hoped to even have a person to talk to, this was shaping up to be a great day, in his view!

"Uh-huh!" Neville nodding happily, mimicking Harry. "I can't wait to see the Castle! My Gran's told me thousands of stories about the place! She said there are dozens of rare plants in the greenhouses, too!" he blushed a little at the last bit, as if he hadn't meant to say it, and looked around sheepishly, looking as though he wished he hadn't spoken at all.

"Really?" Harry sat up a little straighter, he was good at gardening, all of Aunt Petunia's Canasta club agreed that the Garden at number four, Privet Drive was the best of all of Surrey, Harry had been proud when he heard that as he poured the tea, his Aunt had told the ladies all about her techniques, though eyeing Harry to make sure he wouldn't correct her in saying that he was the actual 'green-thumbed wonder'. The other boy had the same look that he himself had whenever he answered a question wrong to his family, he found himself thinking the two boys had a bit more than flora in common. "I like the little blue bells; They're like little tea-cups! I put them all over, they like to drop really low when they're thirsty."

Startled brown eyes met Harry's green, both slightly anxious as the dropped a bit of the shields they had erected earlier in the chance meeting, "I like the vines, we have them all over my Garden, they climb up the back of my house, too."

Conversation on gardening techniques, of which both boy's were quite well interested in, continued until a feminine voice disrupted them; "Are you talking about flowers?"

Harry; interrupted part-way through a sentenec in which he had been speeking about his delphinium plant, a taller purple flower that he had just planted that spring beside the stairway to the door of his house, just below one of the windows and behind the other flora and fauna of the garden, jumped at the girls voice, but was quickly cut off from his reply of 'yes, we are,' as Neville answered her with the same response.

"I… I like the yellow ones," her hair took up most of the entrance, she was already in her uniform, a satchel hanging at her hip, a slight buck-toothed smile was half-formed on her face. She had the same look that the two boys had been wearing earlier, a cautious nervousness that was hidden part-way behind her hair. She narrowed her eyes at his face, "You're glasses are broken."

Blinking at the stranger, Harry cast a glance at Neville, who looked just as surprised at the girls entrance as Harry was, before smiling, "Like Buttercups, or daffodils?"

A more uncertain look crossed the young girls face, who Harry judged (slightly miffed) was probably a good half-inch taller than he, though still shorter than Neville was; before being replaced by a looked as if a lightbulb had went off in her mind. "I like the Day lily… Golden Star? We have a bunch in my parents office."

After another glance at Neville who was acting as shy and uncertain as he had the first few minutes of their train ride togther, Harry patted the half-bench remaining beside him, "Do you want to join us? If it's okay with Neville…?"

Nodding, short quick bobs of his head, causing his slightly shaggy hair to flop, the bushy-haired girl smiled and slowly sat down, as if she would be told to leave, she sat with a straight back, looking at his glasses she put her hand out, "Can I see them? I know a spell that might fix them?" she cast an uncertain but sure at the same time look at the two residents of the compartment.

Pulling the bulky glasses from his face he put them in her outstretched hand. She pulled her wand from her sleeve, saying 'Repair-O' clear as a bell and wiggling her wand at the black glasses. The shudder and sudden whipping off of the tape (which flew in a spinning dance onto the floor of the compartment), caused dual surprised looks of the boys, before she was grinning and handing them back. "I'm Hermione. This will be my first year."

"Neville, we're all Firsties here, then. Who taught you that! Gran said she wouldn't teach me any spells until after my first term…"

"I'm Harry, thanks!" He smiled back at the girl, speaking just after Neville had, "I think you're talking about Stella De Oro's, they're a yellow daylily."

"Aha! That's it!" the three first years giggled loudly, the ice broken and dispelling much of the tension, "It was taught to me by the teller in Flourish and Blott's, when we were paying for my books my Mum dropped her mug and chipped off the handle, so the man offered to teach me how to repair it!"

"Wicked!" Neville whispered.

Harry tilted his head confused. "I thought we weren't allowed to do magic outside of school, at least until we graduate?" He had been told this by both Ollivander, who had given him his pretty Holly-wooded wand, and Hagrid who had cautioned him on it.

It was Neville who answered, seconds before the bushy-haired female if her open mouth was any indication, "It depends. Most Wizarding households have Wizards in them, and the ministry can't tell who cast the spell. So you can, basically, use spells as long as there are Older Wizards around you."

Hermione was nodding so Harry accepted the words with only a brief wonder of the Ministry the were talking about and a smile while he thanked Neville and conversation continued on the vein of what their classes would be like. Hermione and Neville each explained two of the 'houses' of the four at Hogwarts. Hermione had take Slytherin and Ravenclaw, the former was for those with great ambition and cunning, the colours of silver and green with a snake as their mascot; while the latter, while still for those intelligent people, was more designated by the great love of studying over all else, had the more conservative blue and bronze as their colours along with the great eagle as their cherry mascot, a bird prided for it's appearance, intelligence and strength. A knock at the still-open sliding door showed an older lady, holding a trolley filled with goodies and treats, smiling and asking if there as anything the three of them would like. All three declined and listened raptly as Neville took over the latter two, the house of the Lions and of the Badgers.

"The House of Gryffindor is for the really brave people, my gran say's they're the people who would fight a hundred to one if they had too. They're house colours are Red and Gold, they consider them the only House with bravery, but my Gran says that they're too concerned with adventure to actually do anything. They're Lions. The Hufflepuff house had bright yellow and black as their colours, a Badger for their mascot and it's the house 'for all others' as my Gran puts it."

"I thought they were the loyal an-"

"That's the house for people who aren't brave enough, or stupid enough, for Gryffindor; not studious enough for the Ravens and too 'all for one and one for all' to be in Slytherin." A lightly accented feminine voice came from the door way along with a muffled 'oi!' as two older student blocked the doorway, each had their school robes on, one with a bright blue patch with a bronzed 'P' in the shape of a shield while the other, a taller, less stocky boy pushed past, an identical patch except for the colours emblazoned on his lapel.

"Don't listen to her," He smiled, teeth slightly crooked, the boy had darkish hair reaching just to his eyebrows and past the nape of his neck with eyes of deep honeyed brown, he waved a dismissive hand as the blue-badged girl snorted. "Us 'Puff's are as loyal as a krup! We're the house that'll help out anyone who needs it and will do what's right!"

As the boy, obviously about to go on a long-winded spiel about 'his' house, continued Hermione looked from both upperclassmen back to her compartment-mates, "You're prefects, right?"

Elbowing past the boy (who fell in a heap on the floor at Neville's feet, hand inches away from Hedwid's cage causing the napping bird to give a quiet but no less shrill hoot) the girl nodded, "I'm one of the Ravenclaw prefects, Ellsie Kinsmith, and that" she tapped the scowling boy on the floor, who began laughing, "is one of the _bumble-_, sorry, _Badger's_ prefects, Elliot Fennec," she smiled and tapped (slightly harder) the boy again, "he likes to talk."

"Right here!" Elliot laughed. Stretching out an arm to help him up, which Ellsie did (with only an eye-roll) and standing, he sat down beside Neville. "You're all firsties, right?"

"Yes; I'm Hermione, Hermione Granger, these are Neville and Harry," she said, pointing to each boy, who smiled, both nervously, at the elder students, and gave a short wave. "We were just explaining some of Hogwart's to Harry."

"Oh?" Ellsie asked, surreptitiously glancing at Harry's fringe, which he was quite glad covered his scar currently, he was hoping to avoid the hubbub that had been Diagon Alley. "Do you three have any burning questions?" she asked with a waggle of her eyebrows, eliciting peals of laughter from the boy-prefect and chuckles from the rest of the compartment. "Well, we have about an hour left, so you two boys should get in uniform soon."

"An hour left? We've been on here fr that long already?" Hermione gave a surpirsed look, eyeing the darkening sky outside their window.

"How do we get put in the houses?" Harry questioned, his tone soft and head tilted slightly to the side when neither Hermione nor Neville said anything.

"Well, Mr. Puppy," Elliot chuckled, "there's this big ceremony, right? With bright multicoloured fireworks and droves of cake, the teachers all do this ritual dance where- Ow!"

"Right, sorry about that, you three," Ellsie shook her head at her partner, who was rubbing his head and looking decidedly less cheerful than before the cuff to his head, "don't listen to him, he's an idiot- especially for a badger. Now, you'll be led into the Great Hall by Professor McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress, who will sort you the same way everyone has been since Hogwarts was founded. Good question, now," she turned to the sulking Badger, "Puppy?" she asked, incredulous of the boy.

"Well! He tilts his head," Elliot exaggerated the quirk, tilting his head almost parallel to the floor or benches, it did not look comfortable. "and he's got that cute puppy-dog look going on, like a baby krup! With those big-eyes and innocence!"

Flushing as everyone turned his way, Harry shook his head, about to protest vehemently that he was _not_ puppy-like! That is, until both Neville and Hermione began nodding, muttering things like 'maybe' (Neville) and "aw!" (Hermione). Even the other Prefect, Ellsie, began nodding, 'I can see it, I guess'.

Sighing he shook his head but allowed it, giggling a little about the absurdity. Him! Puppy-like! He thought of Ripper, Dudley's Aunt Marge's dog, who was 'puppy-like' to his family, but 'terrifying' in his opinion. "What if you don't get sorted? Like they can't sort you?"

"Then you go to Hufflepuff."

"Oi!" Elliot muttered some very unflattering things beneath his breath, of which Ellsie heard and smacked the boy once more.

"Don't worry, everyone gets sorted." She smiled, even as she dragged the boy out so they could continue on their 'rounds' of the Express, calling a happy 'Good bye' to the trio.

Hermione broke the silence that encompassed their leave with a cheery "I like them!" that allowed all three to dissolve back into giggles, joking about the two eccentric Prefects, the houses and life in general until the bright red engine signalled that they would be pulling into the Hogsmead station in fifteen minutes and that everyone should get into their uniforms.

"The bathrooms are going to be crowded, I'll stand outside while you two change? Since I'm already in uniform," She asked cheekily, receiving grateful nods from the two boys, as all three could hear, through the door half-shut by the Prefect's exit, the chaos that was taking place by the last-minute changing of clothes.

Hermione hopped out, watching the mass congregation taking place in the hallway near the bathrooms at the end of the hall, not to mention the other people rushing about trying to find their friends. She thought of the prefects, the laid back demeanour they had had, and the way the girl, a samrt Ravenclaw, had shared her knowledge with them, even correcting her partner! And she hadn't gotten him mad about it! Hermione had a bit of an epiphany at the moment, realising that 'smart' didn't mean other people didn't know what was happening too, that the Ravenclaw had given the boy the chance to answer the question, even if he answered it wrong, she had let him tell them, rather than just answering Harry, since Hermione was sure that Ellsie had known that Elliot would give an answer like he had. She was abruptly pulled back from her people-watching and thoughts as Harry appeared beside her, completely dressed in his new uniform. Neville, who had gotten his trunk earlier, shortly after Hermione had joined them, who had also retrieved her own trunk consecutively, was seated again and looking to her and Harry. "All done, Hermione!"

"Where do you think we'll be sorted in to?" She asked as she flopped gracefully down beside Neville across from Harry.

"I don't care, I just hope we're all together, I'd like to be friends…?" Harry smiled, lopsided and with just enough trepidation colouring his voice and uncertain undertones that was echoed back in the answering voices of the other two.

"I'd like that," Neville smiled, "I think I'll be in Gryffindor, my parents were there."

"Me too, I think I'd like to be in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, I don't think I'd be a good Slytherin, though Hufflepuff would be okay, too." Hermione chuckled, thinking of the two prefects, Ellsie had completely put a bias toward the Ravens in her mind.

"My parents were there, too, I think that's what Hagrid said."

"Hagrid? The groundskeeper at Hogwarts? When did you meant him, Harry?" Neville asked, Hermione's face eager to know the answer too.

"He took me to collect my school things."

"Really? I heard he's part Giant!" Neville squeaked.

The conversation was put on hold as the disembodied voice of the announcer began the final announcement; saying that they had arrived at Hogsmead.

The ensuing cacophony of chaos, noise and general craziness as people tried to locate lost items, trunks, people and housemates was what took precedent over the next twenty minutes until a loud, familiar to Harry, booming voice hollered 'Firs' Years o'er here!' The great Hogsmead Station that the large group of students ranging in ages from eleven to seventeen fond themselves in was the opposite of the previous stop, where that one had been bright, cheery even, this one looked far from it, as it looked to have been thrown together in a matter of years and built at least a century previous. The area looked almost like the black-and-white pictures Harry had seen of the first stations in Britain during one of his history classes.

Harry, Neville and Hermione made their way toward the visible-over-everyone-else man. His out-of-control beard and furred coat made him quite distinguishable in the chaos, it helped that many of the upper years were giving him a wide berth as the first years made their way to him as they themselves made their way to what looked like carriages on the other side.

Harry noticed the pointy-faced blonde who he met in Madam Malkins when Hagrid had went off for a few minutes brush past his group as he sped past. Once a large number of eleven year-olds were surrounding the massive man, said man pulled his lantern higher into the air and waved it around, "This way t'the boats, now," he called, leading the way.

The three friends all managed to get into one boat, which Hagrid joined them in once all the soon-to-be student got settled.

"Are ye exci'ed Harry!" The man asked in a hushed whisper, causing smiled to spread to the worrying kids on either side of Harry. "I see y'made some friends, a'ready!"

"This in Neville," Harry nudged the other boy, who waved and said hullo, which Hagrid returned, "And this," he nudged Hermione, who smiled brightly, "is Hermione."

Hagrid nodded, looking out over the rest of the boats. The water was flat, almost like glass, as they made their way across the lake, all eyes of all the children focused to the brilliant castle illuminated beyond the waters edge, spires wove into the sky, flags and banners waved merrily, greeting the new year and students into her breadth. The castle looked magnificent with the setting sun casting bright blues and pinks across the water and onto the grey stones.

Harry felt a swelling in his breast as he realised that this was Hogwarts, he was here, at last! Just like Hagrid had said, he would be learning to be a wizard!

The sordid group of first year meandered after Hagrid, staring all around them as they were shown through the front hall and toward the Great Hall, where they would be sorted. A stern looking with a severe bun filled with greying hair topped by a feathered witches hat. She was holding a thick looking cylinder with a yellowish hue encircled by a red ribbon. As the group surrounded her Hagrid made his exit, leaving the group in the 'capable hands o' the Deputy' as he put it.

"In a moment I shall bring you all into the Hall, we will…" she began to detail what would happen and how they were expected to behave; Harry, having heard this from the Prefects, was allowing his mind to wander as he took in the group and the surrounding stone. There were a few moving paintings, like a giant, thin-as-paper telly. He smiled at some of the curious faces, but most of the paintings were too into the speech or their own looking to return the gesture. Harry noticed that there was a red-head a few people to the left of him, who looked to be arguing with the blonde under his breath while the professor spoke. As everyone around Harry suddenly looked up and the white-noise of whisperings stopped. The doors opened and the stern-looking witch began the march into the room. The group following her in three single-file lines behind her and beside each other. Harry was closer to the back of the line, having at some point in the speech gotten into a vaguely alphabetical order.

The Great hall was… great, as it's name said. Candles illuminated the room as the floated high above, below the twinkling stars of the ceiling which looked as if it was an open hole in which the student could see the heavens above them. The flagstones beneath their feet were smooth with centuries of wear and pennants of the four house decorated each wall, designating each of the four main tables as to a certain house. The Staff table sat at the front of the room, directly in front of the area the students who were to be sorted walked toward. There was a stool on which sat a tattered hat-like shape. Harry looked to his left, seeing the Yellow and Green of the badgers and the snakes while on his right was the red and blue of the lions and ravens. The Slytherins and Ravenclaws were closest to each wall while the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor table took the middle, it was between these two tables the lines processed through.

Once the hall had quieted past the dull roar it had been as they entered the tattered piece of fabric moved and a rip opened, a bright voice entered the hall, almost singing:

'_I may not be for looking,_

_I may not be for singing,_

_I many not be for wearing,_

_But I am for pulling the truths,_

_Finding the inner-selves of each,_

_And picking you apart,_

_For I am the Sorting Hat!_

_You may belong to Gryffindor, _

_Where they're headstrong and brave,_

_Where chivalry dwells among,_

_Each and every one!_

_Or perhaps you'll be in Hufflepuff,_

_If you're just and loyal,_

_The badgers keep together,_

_Unafraid to unite one and all!_

_And if you find yourself in Blue,_

_Knowledge and wit abounding,_

_Then take a look away from your book,_

_As you've wandered into Ravenclaw!_

_Cunning, ambition, politics,_

_This house is known for all,_

_Now how about a dash of wit,_

_And you've been made a Slytherin!_

_It's time to see, with my great eye,_

_To hear with my great ears,_

_Where you belong!_

_So put me on,_

_Don't be afraid,_

_To find your true home!_

A loud applause echoed across the stone as the animated hat settled back down, Professor McGonagall tapped her throat with her wand, calling out "Abbott, Hannah"

The young girl with bouncing hair and skirt slowly came to the stool on which the hat had been perched on. Sitting down, the hat was slid onto her head and, within seconds it seemed, was shouting out loudly, 'HUFFLEPUFF!'

Harry gulped and looked around the room, seeing the house to his left clapping and cheering for their newest student. He watching nervously until he heard, 'Granger, Hermione' and saw his friend plop onto the stool. After a minute, slightly longer than it had taken for the other as far as Harry could tell, he felt a wave of relief as a loud 'RAVENCLAW' was called. The girl was soon happily skipping to her new house to the greeting of raucous cheering on the blue-house front, including the Prefect Ellsie.

He gulped and watched as Neville was called, the hat seemed to talk only a minute before shouting out the same house as the previous student had been called to, 'GRYFFINDOR'. An even louder cheering greeted him, as the group of Red-heads he had observed earlier on the train seemed to consider the whole thing a contest to be the loudest group.

A good chunk of students later, and the blonde pointy child was moving to the seat. Harry hadn't been paying attention to his name, but had to chuckle at the hat's immediate shout of 'SYTHERIN' almost before the hat had touched the gelled-back hair. Harry wouldn't want the stuff on his either.

A few more students passed before he heard the loud voice of the professor shout out 'Potter, Harry' in the suddenly too quiet hall. Harry moved toward the stood, whispers starting up and causing the small boy's face to pinken. He sat on the stool, jumping slightly to get a good seat. He closed his eyes as the hat was set on his head, immediately falling past his nose, as it had on almost all the students thus far in.

Harry tilted his head, trying to figure out how he would be sorted before suddenly remembering 'Puppy' and jerking his head straight, only to hear a soft laugh in his mind.

'_Well, well, a Potter… I haven't sorted one of you in decades! And not just any Potter… but the Boy-Who-Lived… Little Puppy Potter!'_

Harry was shocked at the voice, and a little miffed at being referred to as a puppy by a piece of talking fabric but giggling quietly about the earlier name.

'_Hmm. At least you have some humour… Hmm… Indeed…'_

Confused Harry thought about his family, the beast named Ripper who had bitten him, chased him; he thought of school and being thought retarded because he wasn't allowed to read at home; he remembered his little cupboard that had been his room for as long as he could remember before the first letter had arrived; he thought of his cousin and 'Harry-Hunting and of his friends from Hagrid and Neville to Hermione and Hedwig. He thought of the most random things before he realised that it was the hat making him think of them, making him show the 'thinking cap' his memories.

'_You can hide nothing from me… You've had a hard life, haven't you?'_

Harry turned his thoughts back to the more neutral and happy thought of his new friends, of his Garden and of Neville's, and then he thought of the blonde kid talking about Hagrid so rudely.

'_Well! Enough Bravery for the Lions… hmm, but not for yourself… You want no glory… no fame, Tut! A little late for that! … You've never had a single friend before, have you…? Hmm… you love learning, but you've never had the opportunities to do so… Hmm indeed… you would do well in Slytherin, you know… I think I shall do you a favour… You'll do great things here, now good luck, Mr. Puppy Potter! For you are in-' _

'_HUFFLEPUFF!' _was shouted in both his head and aloud for the students and faculty in the Great Hall to hear.

There was utter silence before a loud, barking laughter scratched through the entire Hall. Harry Hopped off the stool, setting the Hat upon the stool, a soft '_we'll meet again,' _was whispered from the slit of a mouth. Harry nodded as he looked around the hall to find the sudden, hysterical sounding laughter. He saw a man, the same one he had heard many of the other first years saying was 'scary' slamming his fist on the table as open mouthed stares turned to the professor at the end. His long, black hair was shaking as he threw his head back, tears falling from his face, one arm slung around his midsection, the other still hitting the table.

Harry tilted his head before looking around the room, no one was moving, the hall was quiet (if you don't count the hysterics in front of the students) until a tall, dirty-blonde haired boy stood up and cat-called at the yellow table.

"Come on, Puppy!" He called, laughing as the rest of the hall's spell seemed to break and the 'Puff table began clapping loudly.

Scowling Harry mumbled half-heartedly"'m not a puppy!" as he made his way toward Elliot, who was pushing another student over so Harry could sit on his other side, the other First years who had been sorted into the house were sitting a few more people down, smiling shyly as Harry walked past.

The dark-man was still howling with laughter, and receiving a lot of looks due to it, but he soon shut up as the stern professor turned to him, intent on yelling, when the tiny man beside him decided he too had had enough of the hystrionics and made his wand do a quick dance which caused all noises from him to disappear.

"Silencing spell," Elliot whispered, "I've never seen that man even smile!"

"Really?" Harry watched the next few minutes while the man seemed to b almost in control, when his black, tear-swimming eyes met Harry's own and then he was back in stark laughter, unable to find that last bit of control. Harry and Elliot were close enough to hear the Headmaster, the purple and star-covered robed grandfatherly wizard learn toward the dark-man and hiss 'Really Severus!' quite loudly.

'Weasly, Ronald' was called and Harry saw a red-head trudge to the stool, and just like with the blonde boy, the hat screamed 'GRYFFINDOR' just as the edges of his fabric were barely touching the red hair. Harry saw the smirk the blonde directed at the Red-head, and the giggle he himself received when the blonde caught him looking. Harry cast a quick glance behind him in time to see the red-head greeted with woofs of excitment from the rest of the table, the antics of the twin red-heads causing more comotion than the other people he had seen enter the house-of-red. Harry, returning the gaze of the blonde, smiled slightly, not quite forgiving the insulting way he had spoken of Hagrid that day, but still being polite. He was rewarded by a surprised look and a scowl from the boy, although the girl who was seated a few people away from the blonde gave him a short nod, much like Neville had on the train when Hermione had joined them, and a small smile. She had think curls that fell in ringlets around her, a rounded face that looked rather out of place among all the green around her. Harry had a feeling that the blonde and red-head, who were casting not-so-subtle glares across the room, would be fighting quite a lot and hoped he had more classes without them than with.

The final student was sorted, slipping into his table and across from him with a smile. He was 'Zeine, Daniel', and had bright red hair, though not quite the glaring 'look-at-me' of the Gryffindor red-heads. He had bright blue eyes and a pale face, an excited greeting was cut off as a loud sound of metal and glass signaled the beginnings of a speech from the head-table. Harry's, the Blondes and Hermione's table all quieted smartly while the Gryffindor's tuned down to a quieter state but were still talking amongst themselves when the Headmaster began speaking.

Harry was amazed when Headmaster had spoken a few random words which included 'oddment, tweak and bean-curry' before sitting down and then suddenly there was food everywhere! Harry smiled, leaning up to look over toward the Red table, waving at Neville, who waved back, and then the blue table, where Hermione (sitting by her own Prefect, Ellsie) waved enthusiastically. Harry grinned and smiled to the other first years around the Yellow table and, glaring at the 'Puppy's should be eating' comment from Elliot, began to tuck into his own plate.

Harry had a feeling that he would like being involved in this world, much more so than his previous, he wasn't just going to Hogwarts to learn all kinds of magical and wondrous things, he was here!

* * *

AN:

_I really should be working on my chaptered stories, and I am… I just get sidetracked with lovely little plot bunnies that make it very difficult to write others. *Sigh*. If anyone is reading this who is waiting for either Scarves or Merging to have the next instalment, you shouldn't have to wait long, both of the next chappies are mostly written and I just need to go over them and get them to a better 'stop' point, because I cannot stand cliffhangers, myself. If anyone is wondering if I will be doing more one shots in my HAS day story or my Chances the answer is most likely, seeing as how I continue to get A) asked, and B) ideas for it. XD _

_This story is entirely due to a picture I saw on DeviantArt, you can look it up by searching 'hufflepuff' and looking at the most popular, it is the third one in, Titled 'Hufflepuff' (of course! xD) and was done by the artist named ~Moony-sama . I quite like it as it made me laugh much like Snape was/is in the picture. I could totally see it and Tah-Dah! This. ALthough my Harry doesn't mind the sorting xD_

_And yes, for the time being, this story is complete. _

_Please review! __Writing is meant to be read, and enjoyed! How am I to know if I'm fulfilling these criteria if there are no responses? _


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